Louisville Bicycle Club Newsletter -- September-October 1996

Christmas in July!

I’ve been recovering from a back injury that’s been a problem for 5 years that came back to haunt me starting last fall at the end of the cycling season. It worsened as the ‘96 cycling season began as I made very few rides and suffered a lot of discomfort on those rides. After finally getting the correct diagnosis and treatment I began to ride again in June. It was great to be back on the bike, but boy was it a struggle. I was gradually building up my mileage (not speed or climbing ability) when the opportunity for a new job came to me. I had to put the bike away while making the transition from one job to the other for another three weeks.

I’m now into July and have about 400 miles on the road for the year. I definitely feel like Christmas must be near. I have my winter weight, my winter legs, my winter heart, my winter lungs and last, but by no means least, I still have my winter saddle sitting area. However, I do not view any of these as major obstacles. My big hurdles have been the heat, humidity and the fact that the rides I’m now trying to get into shape on are not winter or even spring rides.

We’re a day into August and I have 800 miles on the road now. I am recovering slowly but hope to be making it out on some centuries before we’re out of August. I’m still not fast, nor am I climbing very well, but I am on the bike and I’m enjoying every minute of it. I’m just having trouble getting into the Christmas spirit with all this hot weather!